Wild Salmon and Salad

Hoping everyone is having a great summer! Checkout these recipes that are healthy, nutritious and tasty….

Wild Salmon Grilled on a Plank with Grilled Veggies

Note: Wild Salmon is best in season. You must use an untreated Hard wood plank designed for this use: Alder, Kiawe, Applewood, etc. Soak the wood for at least 30 minutes in water before using. Visit https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/04/guide-to-grilling-planking.html for much more information if you want. Also: buy Local and Organic when possible. It will make a difference in your health. All the veggies and the potato grow locally. Your farmer’s market is your best friend!

Yield: 8 portions approximately

Ingredients

1 large Whole Yellow Onion

2 medium Zucchini, cut in half the long way

1 pound Asparagus, woody ends chopped off

2 large Red Peppers, deveined and cut in half

2 large Portobello Mushrooms

2 large Japanese Eggplant, cut in half the long way

4 large Okinowa Potatoes, 2” slices

Pure Olive Oil as needed

Kosher Salt as neededFreshly Ground Black Pepper as needed

2 pounds Wild Salmon, Filet

2 tablespoons Ground Cumin

2 tablespoons Ground Coriander

2 tablespoons Garlic Powder

1 tablespoon Ground Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Cooking instructions

If you haven’t done so already, soak the wood plank. Make certain it’s going to fit onto your grill.

Peel the outer ring off the onion but keep it attached at one end to it’s own base. Tear off 2 large pieces of Aluminum foil and place the onion the middle. Pour a good amount of pure olive oil and sprinkle well with salt and pepper. Make certain the onion is well coated with the mixture all over. Wrap the foil well with the first piece of foil and then again with the second. Place on the grill (or a 400º F oven) over medium heat. NOT directly on top of flames.

Coat each group of vegetables separately with oil, salt and pepper. You will be grilling all of these but possibly not at the same time. If you are not already using your oven, turn it on 250º F.

Prep the fish: It’s best not to cut into portions unless you have to fit them on the grill for some reason. You may need 2 boards to accomplish this. Check for pin bones in the salmon and remove with a tweezer or small plier. Mix the cumin, coriander, garlic, nutmeg, and cayenne in a small bowl.Sprinkle the fish well with salt and pepper. Then with the spice mix above. Once you are almost ready to grill,place the fish skin side down on the wood soaked plank. Don’t do it too early or the plank will begin to dry out.

Grill each vegetable, make certain it is not over direct flame and you turn them. Just enough to get them soft. The zucchini, eggplant, mushroom and onion can be cut up after they come off the grill. The onion will take longer than anything else. Maybe an hour. It should be totally soft with lots of juices at the bottom of it’s foil sack.You can put all the veggies on a tray into the warm oven you preheated before while you cook the fish.

Crank up the heat but not to the point of having shooting flames hit the plank. Place the plank(s) on the grill and put the lid down. Only way to get the wood to smoke up into the fish. Don’t overcook the fish. Maybe 5 -8 minutes depending on how thick your fish is and how well you like it cooked.Remember that Wild Salmon may have parasites and should not be eaten raw. They die when cooked or frozen first. Serve with the veggies and potatoes.

Corn Off The Cob Salad Serves 6

Note: When buying Jicima, make certain that it is firm. There should be no give. Remove the outer layer before using. You may find it at your local farmers market. Corn which is not Organic is almost always GMO. The best corn on Oahu is from Nozawa on the North Shore. Not easy to get but delicious. Always ask what your produce is and ask for a taste.

Ingredients

5 Ears Fresh Corn

1 Small Jicima, about 4” diameter

1 Bunch Cilantro

Extra Virgin Olive Oil as needed

Kosher Salt as needed

Black Pepper, freshly ground as needed

Cooking instructions

Shuck the corn. Place one of the cobs of corn into a large bowl at an angle. Using a sharp knife, run the blade down the cob and away from you so that you cut off the kernels and they fall into the bowl. Rotate the corn and turn it around so you get all the kernels off. Run the back of the blade along the cob as well and you will get some of the corn “milk” into the bowl which is the richest part of the corn. Repeat with the next cob.

Chop the Jicima into 1/2 pieces and add to the corn. Finely chop thecilantro and add about 3 – 4 Tablespoons.

Use a really good extra virgin olive oil, just enough to give a light coating and salt and pepper. Taste and see if the dish has a nice balance.

Note: Try to buy the best extra virgin olive oil you can when using it by itself or minimally. If you see an olive oil tasting advertised: GO!! You will learn quite a bit about them and how they all taste different.